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Jackie Chan among honourary Oscar recipients at Governors Awards

After accepting the first Academy Award ever given for casting, 88-year-old Lynn Stalmaster spontaneously danced onstage with Jeff Bridges.

Bridges called Stalmaster “the master caster, man,” as he presented the casting director with an honourary Oscar on Saturday at the film academy’s Governors Awards. He held his hand as they left the stage.

The Academy Awards may be the jewel in Hollywood’s awards-season crown, but the Governors Awards has become the hottest ticket in town. Packed with industry veterans and awards hopefuls, the untelevised ceremony is a feel-good schmooze-fest that celebrates the most venerable and often overlooked filmmaking talents while welcoming the next crop of potential nominees.

Emma Stone was among the stars from films hoping for an Oscar nomination who attended the schmooze-fest. (Jordan Strauss/The Associated Press)

Stalmaster was visibly moved by his Oscar moment. No Oscar category exists for casting directors, who only formed a branch within the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences three years ago.

“Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I’d be standing here,” said Stalmaster, whose credits include West Side Story, Fiddler on the Roof, Deliverance and Tootsie.

No Oscar category really exists for the kinds of films Jackie Chan makes, either, and he was equally astounded to be receiving a statuette.

The 62-year-old writer-director-producer-actor said he always coveted an Academy Award, but the closest he ever got was seeing one at Stallone’s house.

“I touched it, kissed it, smelled it. I believe it still has my fingerprints,” Chan said. “After 56 years in the film industry, making more than 200 films, with so many bones (broken), finally this is mine.”

Chan accepted his award from actors Michelle Yeoh, Chris Tucker and Tom Hanks, who repeatedly described him as “Chantastic.”

Coates was introduced by Nicole Kidman and Richard Gere, who called her “the greatest of the great, great film editors.”

A five-time Oscar nominee and winner for 1962’s Lawrence of Arabia, Coates said she loved her career.

“Can you imagine a job where you’re actually paid to look into the eyes of George Clooney, Peter O’Toole, Richard Burton… Clint Eastwood, Richard Gere, Daniel Craig, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Mr. Fifty Shades of Grey, Jamie Dornan?” she said of her 63 years in Hollywood.